Just Another Day on the Job
by Empy Mai
Summary: Life as a cop isn't just car chases and gang busts. A day in the life. Mako-centric.


Hello there! I hope you enjoy the story! Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

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The piercing ringing of the alarm wrenched him from sleep's comforting hold yet again, just as it did every morning. At 6:00 every morning, Mako would throw off the covers, sometimes willingly but more often very, very reluctantly, and begin preparing for a new day. Brush his teeth, wash his face, train for an hour and a half, shower, and then it was off to the station for another day on the job. Sometimes there'd be gang busts and car chases, but most of the time it was just him on patrol. Then, he'd come home, have dinner by himself if Bolin was still at the gym, and get ready for bed. Lather, rinse, repeat.

It was a morning just like any other, ready to bleed into a day that blended in with the day before and the day after, each indeterminate from the others. Or at least that's what Mako thought as he hauled himself out of bed. And it was just an ordinary day as he brushed his teeth, washed his face and carried out his everyday routine. Yes, it was just a normal day as he shrugged on his uniform and headed out the door.

The usual hustle and bustle greeted Mako when he got to the station. He was usually on day shifts now, that's just how things worked out, but he worked nights as well so he was pretty close with everyone who worked in the Republic City precinct.

"Morning, Mako" Jun called out when he saw the firebender walk in. He was only a few years older than Mako, but he'd been in the force long enough to take him under his wing and show him the ropes of how things worked. He was probably the closest friend at work Mako had.

"Morning, Jun" Mako replied with a smile. "The chief in?"

"Nah, she's out right now but she'll probably be by later this afternoon. She's a busy lady." Lin had reassumed her place as the Chief of Police. The already incredible amount of respect he'd had for the woman only increased after he began working with her. She was firm, dedicated, both to the city and her men, and got the job done. It was pretty intimidating, actually. It was funny how different his life had become. For the longest time, he and his brother had been just barely getting by; he'd had to work with slimy guys just to make sure food was on the table. Whether there would be a lot or a little depended on luck. But now, here he was, with a solid job and without the fear that the next day, food would be a dream feeding his mind, rather than sustenance to fuel his body. Yes. Things were different now. It was true, this sort of stability took some getting used to. Even last year when he was probending, things were always up in the air. He missed the rush and excitement but when he thought back about his life then and his life now, he knew he wouldn't go back.

"Any news on today? Anything big going down?" Mako asked. He was hoping for a gang bust or maybe something similarly exciting.

"Nah, things have been quiet lately." The reply left him a little disappointed but he stifled the feeling. Yes, it was just another ordinary day at the office.

"You might want to get started on that paperwork from last week." Jun said, "It's not gonna do itself."

"Yeah, yeah, speak for yourself" Mako replied teasingly, gesturing at his friend's desk which was scattered with even more scrolls and papers than usual.

"Do we have any tea?"

"Yeah, I just brewed a pot. Help yourself, it should still be hot" Jun replied. He gave a half-hearted attempt to organize the clutter on his desk but deemed it a lost cause a few moments in.

Mako helped himself to a steaming cup. The moment the scalding liquid hit his mouth he immediately wanted to spit it out. He forced the tea down his throat and grimaced as he spluttered, "Spirits, Jun! Did you forget to add water or something? This is so strong!"

Jun glanced up from his desk sheepishly, "Oh yeah, sorry! I forgot to warn you. But I need it if I'm going to have any hope of finishing all this paperwork today! I covered Yang's shift last night, so I didn't get much sleep."

Mako laughed as he boiled some water to salvage his tea. "Nah, it's alright. Don't you have a little one on the way? If you think this is bad, you have no idea what you're in for." He remembered when Bolin was born, round, smiley, and the louder than a howler-bat when he cried. His mother used to jokingly lament the dark circles under her eyes, calling herself a ring-tailed lemur. Mako still thought she was beautiful.

"Ugh… don't remind me. I am so not ready for this whole fatherhood business." Jun groaned. "What if I'm a bad dad? What if I screw my kid up for life or something?"

Mako made his way over to his friend and laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Jun, come on, relax. If anyone can be an amazing dad, it's you. Confidence, buddy."

"Yeah," Jun sighed, "it's just… pretty daunting to be totally responsible for another human being."

The firebender nodded. He understood all too well the feeling. He settled into his chair and winced at the sight of hefty stack of forms he had to process. It was tedious and not something he was expecting when he joined the police force, but someone had to do it. Let's make this a little more interesting, he thought to himself.

"Yo Jun, I'll bet you won't be able to finish before I do."

"Oh really? You sure about that?"

"Positive."

"Alright, if I win you'll be treating me to all you can eat seaweed noodles. If you win, I'll treat you. Sound like a deal?"

"Deal."

"Alright pretty boy, I'm looking forward to dining on your tab." Jun gave a cheeky grin and threw himself at the the daunting array of papers that littered his desk. Mako could only smile in amusement as he faced his own disheartening collection of paperwork.

By the time Mako had to go out on patrol, neither he nor Jun had finished. They decided to call it a draw and he set out for the his usual route along his district. It wasn't interesting, usually. On occasion he'd stop the occasional speeding car or drive off some cocky gang members up to no good, but usually he'd just ride his motorcycle around the crowded streets of Republic City. It was therapeutic in a way, to ride along the pavement, to feel the wind whipping against his face. It made him feel alive.

It was another quiet day. Nothing outside the usual when suddenly Mako heard angry shouting up the street. Parking his motorbike, he rushed over to the source of the commotion. He was greeted with the sight of a fuming, middle aged woman standing outside what looked to be a modest shop. She was holding a young boy tightly by the wrist. He was scrawny looking and trying desperately to free himself from her grasp. A crowd of onlookers was beginning to form, curious as to what was causing such a ruckus.

"HOW DARE YOU I WILL CALL THE POLICE AND THEY WILL LOC-" The woman stopped her shouting at the sight of the Mako approaching. The scowl on her face dissolved into a simpering smile. "Why hello, officer. I was just about to call. I caught this hoodrat trying to filch my leechi nuts. I can't stand punks like this!"

"Don't worry, Ma'am. I'll handle this." Mako said, but he wasn't looking at the woman. Instead, he peered at the young boy. He had stopped struggling and was looking despondently at the ground. Every so often he would glance up and around. Mako knew from personal experience he was gauging escape routes. The boy's brown russet hued hair was matted and tangled. His face had the distinctive pinch that accompanied a stomach that has long been empty. He reminded Mako of himself.

"Ma'am, you can go ahead inside. I can take it from here." The boy looked up at him. Mako could see uneasiness in his eyes. He tried to give a reassuring smile before returning his attention to the shop keeper. She looked at him suspiciously for a moment before relinquishing her hold on the child. With a huff, she went back into her store.

When her figure disappeared behind the curtained entrance, Mako looked down at the boy. He hadn't tried to run away yet so either he was scared stiff or accustomed to how things went with police officers. Perhaps a little of both. He knelt down so that he and the boy were eye.

"What's your name?"

The child remained silent. He was tense, like an animal caught in a trap.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help you. Will you let me try?"

A muffled voice muttered, "My mom told me I shouldn't talk to strangers." The little boy kept his eyes glued firmly at the ground.

Mako let out a chuckle. "Your mom sounds like a pretty smart lady. But I'm always going to be a stranger unless we introduce ourselves. What do you say?"

Amber colored eyes gazed up at him hesitantly. A sullen nod was his only reply. Mako smiled.

"So, are you going to tell me your name?"

"Kuma."

"Hello Kuma, I'm Mako."

"Mako? THE Mako? Mako as in the Captain of the Fire Ferrets?" Kuma's face was flushed with excitement. All previous unease had dissipated away.

"Well, the former captain, but yeah. That's me." Mako said.

"I used to follow all your matches! My dad used to take me and my sis to see you play before…" The gap-toothed grin dissolved into a grim line as Kuma let the sentence trail and disappear.

Mako knew it wasn't his place to pry. "Here, how about we take a walk. Do you live around this neighborhood? Why don't you show me around? I patrol around here and I'm sure I could get to know the area a little better."

"Sure." The spark, quick as it had come, had vanished.

They set off at a leisurely pace, combing the back streets of the neighborhood. Occasionally, Kuma would point out a building or person, but they were both mostly quiet. Mako noticed the boy hesitate outside the custard tart stall. He pretended he didn't hear the clear growl of the child's stomach.

"Whoo, this walk has got me starving." He said to no one particular. "All I've had today is some over-steeped tea. I think I could use a little pick me up. Care to join me?" He gestured over to the stall. Kuma shook his head.

"I don't have any money."

Mako brushed it off. "It'll be on me this time. Next time, you can treat. Deal?"

The boy's stomach gave another audible rumble as if to entreaty its owner. Kuma sighed a moment before shrugging his slight shoulders.

"Deal."

The two approached the glass cases of the sweet shop. Confections of all shapes and sizes were arrayed before their eyes. A round, sweet looking woman called out from the cash register.

"Hello there, sirs! Can I help you fine gentlemen this evening?"

"Hello ma'am, I'd like a moon peach pie please and…"

He glanced down at his companion.

"An egg custard tart, please."

"And an egg custard tart!"

"Certainly, sir. That will be 1.5 yuans" The woman said with a pleasant smile. She set the requested treats on delicate napkins and handed them to the two. Mako paid and he and Kuma headed back out on the street. They settled on the curb of the road, watching the cars speeding and swerving by. Mako savored the tart sweetness of his cake when he noticed Kuma hadn't taken a bite.

"Hey, you haven't touched your tart. Something wrong?"

"I'm saving it for my sister."

"Does she like them?"

Kuma nodded.

"They were her favorite snack. She doesn't get to eat them much anymore."

"Ah, I see." Mako said. "That's awfully nice of you."

The child didn't reply. His eyes followed the cars rushing by, the tart clasped tightly in his hands. Mako was just about to finish his tart when the boy broke the silence.

"My dad got fired a while ago. Some people say he got into trouble with Red Monsoon Triad but my dad's not that kind of person. He's been looking for a job but he's not a bender so it's hard finding work. He's usually not around since he's gotta go out to the farms to find jobs."

"Is that why you…"

The boy nodded, casting his eyes to the pavement.

"We don't have much money. And my sister's always hungry…"

"What about your mother?"

"She died."

"I'm sorry."

"'S alright. There's nothing you can do about it."

He looked tired. Tired and weary. Mako felt a dull ache of empathy as he recognized the expression.

"Hey, this doesn't have to be your life. I know things might seem rough, even hopeless right now, but you can change things. And I know that stealing might seem like it's the only way out, but it's not. I've seen the people in your neighborhood, those people who call out to you? Who ask you how you are? They want to help you."

Kuma looked at him skeptically.

Mako smiled. He knew he would have been the same way if he had been hearing this speech years ago.

"You know, I used to be in your shoes. For a while, I didn't have much. All I had was my brother. I did some stuff I'm not proud of just to scrape by. I thought it was me against the world, but it's not. There might be people in this world who are bitter and angry, but there are also people who are amazing like you couldn't imagine. The kinds of people you think couldn't possibly be real. But they are. And I know it might be hard to believe when you're hungry and everyone is looking at you like you're trash, like you're worthless, but trust me, you're going to find someone who believes in you. And you're gonna become more than this."

He glanced down at Kamu, a smile on his face. The boy had a pensive look.

"But you and I are different, Mr. Mako. I'm not a bender, I'm not much of anything."

The image of a raven-haired girl flashed in Mako's mind.

"That doesn't mean a thing. One of the strongest people I know can't bend. She didn't let that stop her and neither should you. I'll admit, I was pretty lucky. Someone found me and believed in me enough to give me a chance. Now, I have a hunch about you. I think you could turn into something great. At what? I'm not sure, but I'm positive there's something there. I'm willing to give you a chance, but that doesn't mean a thing if you can't do something for me."

Kuma's eyes widened in confusion.

"What?"

"You have to believe in yourself. Everyone in the world can be behind you but it doesn't mean anything unless you believe it yourself. So can you do that for me?"

A grin slowly eased its way across the boy's face. He nodded, slowly at first but it got quicker and quicker, as if propelled by the child's growing conviction.

Mako smiled.

"Good. It's getting late. Let's get you home."

The two made their way to Kuma's humble shelter. Mako could tell just from looking at it that it leaked and was probably cold at night. He felt a pang of guilt leaving him there. He had to figure out a plan. He knelt in front of the boy as he dropped him off.

"Alright, I'm going to go now. But I'll be back soon. No more stealing, okay?"

Kuma nodded energetically. The egg custard was still safe in his hands.

"Yeah, no more stealing."

The two parted ways and Mako headed home on his motorbike. It was a long day and he got back later than usual. But he felt lighter somehow, more excited than he had in ages. He had found a new purpose.

Bolin had waited for him for dinner. Mako served himself a bowl of noodles before settling down next to his brother at the table.

"How was your day?" His Bolin asked. He always asked, always made sure things were going alright, even when they were little when there were more bad days than good. It was part of the reason he loved him so much.

Mako smiled.

"It was good. Really good."

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Well, there you have it! I'm rather surprised myself at penning a Mako-centric story. He was truly a character I had a lot of frustration with over the course of the show. I wanted to like him, I really did, but I thought the writers sort of dropped the ball with his character development, especially by focusing on the love triangle. That said, I am cautiously optimistic for next season. I think Mako's story has a lot of potential and I sincerely hope we get to see some of it the next time we see Team Avatar 2.0. Please feel free to leave any comments or criticism. I'd love to know what I can work on to improve! Thanks again for reading! I hope you enjoyed.


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